


"Just Like You, Dad"

by Northbound23



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Backstory for Artie Andrews, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Family History, Gen, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Riverparents, parentdale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-01-25 05:49:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21351259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northbound23/pseuds/Northbound23
Summary: As his father had told him the day he’d moved onto Elm Street:“Never forget your roots Artie..”Everyone in Riverdale knows Artie Andrews.He's their George Bailey.The man who night after night led the search for Claudius Blossom.He's the man who delivered Alice Susanna Smith into the world during the Sunnyside Riot of 1970.But to Fred Andrews.....He's just 'Dad'
Relationships: Alice Cooper & FP Jones II, Alice Cooper/Hal Cooper, Artie Andrews & FP Jones II, Artie Andrews & Forsythe Pendleton Jones I, Artie Andrews & Fred Andrews, Artie Andrews & Oscar Andrews, Forsythe Pendleton Jones I & FP Jones II, Fred Andrews & Alice Cooper, Fred Andrews & Hal Cooper, Fred Andrews & Hiram Lodge, Fred Andrews & Oscar Andrews, Fred Andrews/Mary Andrews, Hal Cooper & Tom Keller
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Cat's In The Cradle

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work in the Riverdale fandom. There's just something interesting about the possibility that Fred and Artie had a similar dynamic to the one Fred had with Archie in the show. And what dynamics the grandparents of Archie and co. had. I welcome comments and whether or not I should continue this story.

**Riverdale, 1986. **

Artie Andrews placed a bouquet of flowers on the edge of the grave he faced:

_Here lies, Sarah Andrews _

_1917-1944_

_ Treasured wife to Andrew._

_ Beloved Mama to Arthur._

_ and _

_Andrew Jackson Andrews_

_ “Andy”_

_ 1916-1984 _

_Devoted father to Arthur._

_ Much missed Grandpa to Oscar, Frederick and Francis._

_ Honorary Grandpa of Forsythe Pendleton “FP” Jones II._

“Happy Birthday Dad” Artie said quietly. “How’s things up there at the pearly gates?”

He chuckled as though reacting to his father’s typically blunt attitude.

“Bored already huh? Well, Oscar’s running Mack Mantle’s hardware place now. Frank’s gonna be in seventh grade soon.”

In the silence Artie could envisage his father’s resigned face and familiar question from beyond the grave.

_ “What’s Fred done now?” _

* * *

Fred, as it happened was laying face down on the couch in the Andrews’ front room.

“Freddie” said Mary as she prodded his foot.

Fred grunted, unmoving. “Freddie ...Freddie” Mary prodded again.

“What, Mare?” Fred asked, voice muffled.

“Aren’t you going to go to baseball practice?”

“Grounded, I’m sixteen and grounded” Fred groaned in despair.

Mary struggled to hold in a giggle, she’d forgotten how much of a drama queen Fred could be.

Fred’s older brother Oscar trudged into the room and rolled his eyes at the sight before him.

“Failed Ferris Bueller still moping is he?” he asked Mary, who nodded.

Oscar gave the couch a swift kick. Fred yelped as he fell onto the floor at Mary’s feet.

“Next time don’t try to imitate a movie to get outta school little bro, just say you’re sick.” Oscar advised as he pulled Fred up by the scruff of the neck.

“Like that ever works! It was going to be my masterpiece Ozzy!” Fred whined like the four year old he apparently was.

“This is Riverdale Freddie, not Chicago.” Oscar sighed. “I’m gonna pick Mom and Frank up from Centerville, you two lovebirds wanna come along?”

“We’re not lovebirds!” Fred and Mary said in unison.

Oscar cackled as he exited the room.

“Keep telling yourselves that!” he called from the hallway.

The front door slammed. From the window Fred and Mary watched Oscar drive off in his car.

“I just wanted to have a laugh with you guys, you know that Mare?” Fred was now sat properly on the couch, Mary curled up next to him.

“I know that, and so does your Dad.” Mary said kindly.

“I don’t ‘member him been this hard on Ozzy” Fred mused.

“That’s because we were kids when Oscar was a teenager, remember” Mary explained.

* * *

There was not much traffic as Artie drove his truck down Main Street.

He switched on the radio and the sound of Harry Chapin’s ‘Cat’s In The Cradle’ filled the silence.

He could imagine Fred and FP singing along as he tapped the steering wheel. 

Artie began to sing "I'm gonna be like you, dad, you know I’m gonna be like you…." He kept singing along as he took the turning for Sunnyside Trailer Park.

As his father had told him the day he’d moved onto Elm Street:

_"Never forget your roots Artie, once a Southsider. Always a Southsider"_


	2. Andrews & Jones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fred makes a discovery. 
> 
> While at Sunnyside Trailer Park, Artie and Forsythe Jones Sr remember some troubling childhood memories as Artie reflects on his parenting over a couple of beers.

Sunnyside Trailer Park came into view. Artie parked up at the entrance. As he let the engine cool off, he rolled up his shirt sleeves. 

On his right arm was the fading tattoo of a serpent.

He wasn’t expecting trouble but he’d grew up here and knew showing his Southside Serpents status would quell any issues. 

He rolled the driver side window down and breathed in the air.

  
  


* * *

Fred looked over at Mary. She had fallen asleep. 

The TV was showing a rerun of Cheers. Fred eased off the couch and quietly made his way to the kitchen in order to make himself a drink.

As he filled his glass with water, Fred spotted a handwritten note on the sideboard. 

He turned off the tap and put his drink in the sink. 

He picked up the note and realised it was for him:

_ Freddie, _

_ I know you’re mad at me for grounding you for three weeks.  _

_ Your Grandpa Andy was tough on me too because he wanted me to be the best I could be. _

_ And I want that for you, my brilliant, talented, beautiful boy.  _

_ I love you son, never forget that. _

_ Dad. _

Fred felt his eyes burn with tears. “Love you too, Dad” he whispered.

  
  


* * *

Artie strolled up to the Jones’ trailer. The family’s sheepdog was sleeping in a basket by the steps. 

Forsythe’s trusty Harley-Davidson was leaning against the wall of the trailer.

He knocked on the door. It opened to show a dishevelled, pink bath-robed Forsythe Pendleton Jones. 

His eyes were bloodshot and his usually slicked-back black hair resembled a hedgehog.

“Sweet maple syrup, F. You look like how I feel” Artie said as Forsythe stepped aside to let him into the trailer.

“Like shit then” Forsythe grunted as he shut the door.

  
  


Artie slumped onto the couch, he caught the bottle of beer Forsythe tossed to him.

“It’s ya Dad’s birthday today” Forsythe said bluntly as he sat next to Artie. “I went to church to say a prayer for ‘im this mornin’”

Artie nearly choked on his beer.

“You haven’t being in a church since….”

“I married Annie, yeah surprised myself and all. Junior almost fainted into his breakfast” Forsythe chuckled.

* * *

  
  
  
  
Meanwhile on the road to Riverdale from Centerville. 

“I don’t see the problem Mom” Oscar said as he let a Rockland County Sheriff’s cruiser pass them.

Ginny Andrews gave her eldest son a despairing glance.

“You complained when your Dad grounded you at Fred’s age” she said wisely.

“Only because I was dumb enough to believe he was being a tyrant.” Oscar answered, he glanced into a side mirror as they passed a sign.

They were five miles away from Riverdale.

“Not long til home Frankie” Oscar said to the youngest Andrews brother, who was reading a Pureheart the Powerful comic book in the backseat of the car. 

“‘Kay” Frank said, without looking up from the page he was reading.

“And what’s this you’re telling me about Mary?” Ginny asked.

“That both her and Freddie are besotted with each other but in denial about it” Oscar chuckled.

Ginny giggled. “Your Dad was dense when it came to romance too”

* * *

  
  
  


“So what’s eatin’ away at ya, Artie?” Forsythe asked. 

The pair were each on their second bottle of beer.

“D’you think I was too harsh on Freddie?” Artie pondered.

“For dousin’ Felix Featherhead’s car in paint? We did worse in high school, but you had to do somethin’ didn’t ya.” Forsythe reasoned.

“Featherhead’s suing me for damages. The guy who called me trailer trash in high school is taking the moral high ground.” Artie laughed bitterly.

“There’s a reason we all called ‘im Birdbrain back then. Even my dad hated the fella” Forsythe snorted.

Artie took a long gulp of beer and looked at a black and white photograph hanging above the television. 

It showed a 16 year old Forsythe stood on the bank of Sweetwater River next to his austere looking father, the grandly named Pendleton Avery Jones. 

Artie shivered, he had no good memories about Pendleton Jones. 

He still the marks on his back from a vicious belt whipping Pendleton had given him when he was fourteen. 

“I know what ya thinkin’” Forsythe sighed. 

“Why the hell do I have a picture of the bastard who broke my fingers, put his belt across my back and beat me more times than I can count.” he added. 

“It has crossed my mind F.” Artie said bluntly.

“To remind me that he can’t hurt me, you or anyone else again” Forsythe said firmly.

“Amen to that” Artie agreed with a small smile.

“Though, I do still wonder why he disappeared, it’ll be 28 years this October since he left. That photo was taken three weeks before it happened.” Forsythe admitted.

The two settled into companionable silence. Until two gunshots rang out through the whole of Sunnyside.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  



	3. Showdown at Peggy's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artie deals with a difficult situation.

There was dead silence as Artie and Forsythe emerged from the trailer. 

Forsythe was wielding a double-barrelled shotgun. 

The Jones’ sheepdog ran whimpering to it’s master.

“Easy, Hot Dog, easy boy” Forsythe whispered, patting Hot Dog softly with his free hand. 

“Sure you can fire that safely?” Artie nodded to the shotgun.

  
  


“SMITH, YOU MAD BITCH!” a voice roared from two trailer rows away.

“Shit! That’s Cooper!” Forsythe dashed off, Hot Dog at his heels.

“F, don’t do anything stupid!” Artie hurtled after them

  
  
  
  
  


Louis Cooper was clutching his left shoulder, blood covered his shirt. His wound was a clean through bullet hole.

Standing at her trailer door was Peggy Smith. She had her revolver poised at Louis, fury etched across her face. Her blonde hair blowing in the wind.

“One more step Cooper and I’ll put you down, the mad dog that you are. Hear me?” she snarled.

Through the open trailer window, Peggy’s daughter Alice called out:

“Should I call Uncle Sam, Mom?”

“Sure thing honey, tell him he’s gonna need an ambulance for Mr. Cooper” Peggy answered.

  
  


“C’mon Cooper, lemme patch you up.” said Mickey Moon, who was edging towards the enraged man.

“Get away from me!” Louis yelled.

“You wanna bleed out here Cooper? Don’t be a fucking idiot” Mickey snapped back.

“I want my son!” Louis growled as his knees started to give way.

  
  
  


“Peg? What the fuck…..” 

“What in the name of Christ...?”

Forsythe, Artie and Hot Dog burst onto the scene. 

“Hello boys” Peggy said brightly as though she was presenting a bake sale. “Me and Louis have had a disagreement”

Forsythe and Artie exchanged a wary glance. Even Hot Dog looked worried.

Artie then walked up to Peggy.

“Come on, give me the gun sweetheart. We don’t want more trouble now do we?” he asked calmly, hand outstretched.

“Trouble Andrews? The bitch shot me!” Louis growled. Mickey was pressing a makeshift bandage on Louis’ wound. Forsythe had his shotgun poised on Louis now.

“I won’t let him hurt anyone Peg, I promise” Artie said kindly.

Peggy laughed. “Only you could say that Arthur Andrews and mean it”

“And you Margaret Smith, will always be the toughest gal this side of Riverdale” Artie smiled. “C’mon give me the gun, don’t want another riot do you”

Peggy sighed and handed over the revolver.

Artie was quick to unload the four remaining bullets from it.

  
  


“We heard two shots, Peggy” Forsythe remembered. “Cooper’s only got one wound”

“I missed him the first time” Peggy shrugged.

The blare of sirens came to the groups ears.

“This is gonna be fun” Mickey quipped.

  
  
  



	4. The Return of Pendleton Jones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As one abuser is revealed in Riverdale, another returns to the fold.

Artie watched as Louis was loaded into an ambulance.

Sheriff Sam Stone and Deputy Keith Keller were taking Forsythe and Mickey’s statements.

“Mom? Is it safe to come out?” Alice called from inside the trailer.

Peggy waited until the ambulance sped away onto the exit track out of Sunnyside to answer.

“Yes honey, Uncle Sam's here now”

Alice emerged, she was the image of her mother. She brightened up as she saw Artie.

“Uncle Artie!” she hugged Artie tightly.

“Hi Allie” Artie returned the hug. “Now can you tell me why your mom when all Good, the Bad and the Ugly on Mr. Cooper?”

“Because of me Mr. Andrews”

Out of the trailer came, a clearly beaten and bruised Hal Cooper.

Artie’s heart sank as he looked over the damage Louis had clearly dealt onto his own son.

  
  


* * *

  
  


In the cold light of day, the news of Louis being shot and his abuse of Hal, had trickled through Riverdale. 

At the Sheriff’s Station, Sam was typing up Alice and Peggy’s statements. 

His son Ray was beating the stuffing out of a punchbag. 

“I’ll kill that fucker!” Ray hissed.

“Y’all have to join the queue son” Sam mused.

Alice was sat opposite Sam.

“Can I go and see Hal soon, please Dad?” she asked him.

“Soon sweetie, Mrs Andrews wants him to get some proper rest” Sam explained.

“Hal still don’t know we’re twins does he?” Ray asked Alice as he rounded the punchbag.

“I’ll tell him soon” Alice promised

  
  
  


Over at Thornhill, the Blossom family patriarch Walter watched in concern, as his son Clifford expertly shot at a row of beer cans placed on the house drive. 

Penelope was attempting to cook a casserole to give to Hal, while Rose watched over her.

Deputy Keller was standing guard at Louis’ hospital room. Dr Larry Maiden approached him.

“What ya got Doc?” Keller asked.

“A load of trouble brewing if I’m honest Keith. I’ve just had to walk Hiram Lodge and the Doiley brothers out of here. They were madder than hell.” Larry sighed.

Keller nodded. “Don’t blame them”

  
  


FP Jones and Tom Keller were sat on the Andrews’ porch. FP had his father’s shotgun to hand. Tom was twirling a crowbar. 

Artie came out the garage and walked over to them.

“I really hope you’re not going to use that FP, last thing your dad needs is you in juvie.” Artie said carefully as he opened the front door.

“We ain’t riskin’ Mr Cooper turnin’ up” FP relayed.

In the Andrews’ kitchen Artie came upon Ginny and Peggy, who were sharing a jar of moonshine.

“Can I get some of that?” he asked as he sat at the head of the table. Peggy poured him a glass and slid it to him.

“God, I should’ve seen it.” Artie gulped down his drink. “I was that kid, beat because the guy doing it was a sad sack of shit”.

“It wasn’t your own dad though. Pendleton Jones was a bastard and everyone knew it Artie.” Peggy offered. 

Ginny got up and put her arms around Artie and put her head on his shoulder.

“You can’t blame yourself love, you know what Louis and Hilda are like.” she reassured him. 

“Stuck up Northsiders” Peggy groused. “Pretending they’re perfect”

“Says the woman who lets her son and daughter pretend they’re cousins” Ginny supplied.

“Touche” Peggy laughed. “How’s Hal?”

“Sleeping, I don’t think he’s slept properly in a long while. Fred’s given up his room for him” Ginny answered.

“I need to talk to Freddie, where is he?” Artie asked.

“He went to see Mary, he’s sweet on that girl” Ginny smiled.

“Mary, Larry Maiden’s girl?” Peggy asked.

Ginny nodded. 

FP’s voice suddenly travelled from the hallway. 

“Grandpa Jones?” 

Peggy and Artie’s glasses smashed onto the table and the shards fell to the floor as the dark tones of Pendleton Avery Jones echoed through the house.

“My, you’re the image of your father, boy”.

Artie’s face went deathly pale as Pendleton asked FP.

“I gather this is Arthur Andrews’ place, is he in?”

“He is” FP answered. “But I don’t think he’ll wanna see ya” 

“I’ll wait til he does, I’ll be at Pop’s” Pendleton said.

  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had a few drafts before I posted it today- hence why it's been a long while between posting. 
> 
> I thought I should explain the main family units of this version of Riverdale, the Coopers and Blossoms aren't related here:
> 
> The Andrews family are:
> 
> Arthur "Artie" Andrews born 1942.
> 
> Virginia "Ginny" Andrews (nee Sweeney) born 1943
> 
> Oscar Archibald Andrews born 1962
> 
> Frederick Arthur "Fred" Andrews born 1970
> 
> Francis Henry "Frank" Andrews born 1974
> 
> The Jones clan:
> 
> Pendleton Avery Jones born 1915
> 
> Forsythe Pendleton Jones Sr born 1942
> 
> FP Jones born 1970
> 
> The Smith and Stone clan:
> 
> Samuel "Old Stoneface" Stone V born 1914
> 
> Samuel "Sam" Stone VI born 1941
> 
> Margaret "Peggy" Smith born 1942
> 
> Alice Susanna Smith born 1970
> 
> Raymond Samuel "Ray" Stone born 1970 (Alice's twin brother)
> 
> The Coopers:
> 
> Louis Cooper born 1940
> 
> Hilda Cooper (nee Yates) born 1941
> 
> Harold Louis "Hal" Cooper born 1970
> 
> The Blossoms:
> 
> Walter Blossom born 1939
> 
> Rose Blossom (nee Hardy) born 1939
> 
> Clifford and Claudius Blossom born 1970
> 
> Penelope Marie Blossom born 1970 (adopted in 1978)
> 
> The Kellers:
> 
> Keith Keller born 1938
> 
> Tom Keller born 1969
> 
> The Maidens:
> 
> Lawrence "Larry" Maiden born 1934
> 
> Freda Maiden (nee Muggs) born 1936
> 
> Mary Maiden born 1970
> 
> The Doileys:
> 
> Doyle Doiley born 1942
> 
> Nancy Doiley (nee Edison) born 1942
> 
> Dennis Doiley born 1965
> 
> Dan Doiley born 1967
> 
> Darryl Dalton Doiley born 1970.
> 
> The Lodges:
> 
> Cecil Lodge born 1942 (originally named Carlos de Luna)
> 
> Anna Lodge (nee de Souza) born 1943
> 
> Hiram Peter Lodge born 1970
> 
> The Gomez clan:
> 
> Hector Gomez born 1942
> 
> Apollonia Gomez (nee Trejo) born 1944
> 
> Nicholas "Nick" Gomez born 1968
> 
> Hermione Gomez born 1970
> 
> The Mantles:
> 
> MacFarlane "Mack" Mantle born 1941
> 
> Martin "Marty" Mantle born 1970
> 
> The Moons:
> 
> Michael "Mickey" Moon born 1942
> 
> Lorraine Moon (nee Davis) born 1942
> 
> Eddie Moon born 1966
> 
> Lizzie Moon born 1970
> 
> The Samuels':
> 
> Solomon Samuels born 1940
> 
> Ivy Samuels (nee Floyd) born 1941
> 
> Sierra Samuels born 1969
> 
> The Muggs family:
> 
> Manfred Muggs Sr born 1942 (Freda Maiden's brother)
> 
> Violet Muggs (nee Walton) born 1942
> 
> Manfred "Manny" Muggs Jr born 1971
> 
> The Tates:
> 
> Terence "Pop" Tate Sr born 1921
> 
> Diana Tate (nee Hopkins) born 1921
> 
> Terence "Terry" Tate Jr born 1951
> 
> Lloyd Tate born 1953
> 
> The Topazes:
> 
> Thomas Topaz born 1943
> 
> Philip Topaz born 1970


	5. The Lord of War and Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pendleton Jones faces a former friend while FP and Hal compare fathers.

Stoneface Stone entered Pop’s with a slam of the door and crash of glass. Terry Tate looked up with a scowl as he saw the shards at Stoneface’s feet.

“I’ve just cleaned that floor, Stonie.” Terry said wearily. Stoneface had the decency to look sheepish as he stepped over the mess he’d made. 

“Sorry Terry.” the grizzled older man said, “I hear ya have a certain Pendleton Jones here.” 

Terry looked over at the farthest booth, where cigarette smoke billowed above the greased head of Pendleton Jones. 

“Fuck me, he’s actually still breathing. Twenty-eight years and someone hasn’t killed this shit.” Stoneface growled.

“Is that any way to talk about an old pal, Samuel?” Pendleton stood up and faced his former neighbor.  
Despite being in their early seventies, Stoneface and Pendleton were well built and youthful for two grandfathers with high school aged grandkids.

Though, if truth be told, FP was hanging on at Riverdale High purely to keep Fred in line. The irony was only lost on poor Fred himself.

“You lost the right to call me your friend the day you raised a belt to Forsythe and Artie’s backs.” Stoneface hissed.

Pendleton stubbed out his cigarette on the table. 

“I’ve changed Samuel. Nearly thirty years on the road does that. I’ve come home to put things right, ” he said.

“Forgive me if I don't dance in joy.” came the snorted retort.

Hal Cooper, bleary-eyed and with bedhead, ambled into the Andrews’ kitchen. FP was now sitting smoking a joint on the worktop.

“Man, you look like shit.” 

Forsythe Pendleton Jones, Junior. Riverdale’s next diplomat.

Hal blinked and FP visibly cringed at his screw up.

“Sorry….crap.” 

“Where’s everyone?” Hal croaked. Voice raspy after hours asleep.

“Keeping eyes out for your old man. Well except for Freddie. He’s with Mary getting ya a camp bed.” FP said with another puff of his joint.

“Some dad I’ve got, eh?” Hal sighed bitterly as he sat down at the kitchen table.

“The Lord of War and Thunder, Mrs. A called him that.” FP recalled.

“Hypocrite more like, I told him to leave Sheriff Stone and Miss Smith alone who cares if Alice and Ray are illegitimate? Jesus was born from a virgin birth for Christ’s sakes.” Hal said mirthlessly.

FP whistled, “No wonder he beat the shit outta ya” 

Hal chuckled, “Y’know I envy you FP. At least your dad’s honest about who he is.”

“Failed novelist with a flair for drug running, he’s no saint but better than my Mom…...wait you know Allie and Ray are twins?.” FP gawked.

“I run the Blue and Gold” Hal said as if it explained everything, “Checked their records one free period a year ago.”

“How ya pull that off?” FP asked, interested.

“I used a little leverage that’s all.” Hal said mysteriously.

FP began to wonder if he’d underestimated Hal Cooper.


End file.
